The mission of the Department of Electrical Engineering is to augment the liberal education expected of all Stanford undergraduates, to impart a basic understanding of electrical engineering built on a foundation of physical science, mathematics, computing, and technology, and to provide majors in the department with knowledge of electrical engineering principles along with the required supporting knowledge of mathematics, science, computing, and engineering fundamentals. The program develops students’ skills in performing and designing experimental projects and communicating their findings to the scientific community effectively. Students in the major are required to select one sub-discipline for specialization. Choices include bio-electronics and bio-imaging, circuits and devices, computer hardware, computer software, music, signal processing, communication and controls, photonics, solid state and electromagnetics, and energy and environment. The program prepares students for careers in government agencies, the corporate sector, or for future study in graduate or professional schools.

The major in Electrical Engineering builds on foundations in math and physics. It prepares students for a broad set of career opportunities in information, systems and physical electronic technology and applied science. Electrical Engineering is where the physical world and the virtual world connect. This is a world created from sensors, computing, communications and information. Innovations in Electrical Engineering have fundamentally transformed all aspects of our lives. Some of these are: electrical power generation and transmission, wired and wireless communications, integrated electronics, digital computers, healthcare technology (MRI, ultrasound, implantable devices), cellular phones, and the internet. All of these technologies and innovations have solid roots in the sciences and engineering that are integral to the study of Electrical Engineering.

The Departmental requirements for a BS degree in Electrical Engineering include a core set of courses required of every major and a set of specialty areas from which one sequence must be chosen. Each program of study is also expected to include physics as part of science, and calculus, linear algebra, and ordinary differential equations as part of mathematics. The math requirement also includes a course in basic probability and statistics. Specific math and science requirements for EEs are listed below. Other program requirements detailed below include Technology in Society (one course) and one and one half years of Engineering Topics (60 minimum required), which include Engineering Fundamentals and Depth, which in turn includes a selection of electrical engineering core courses, a specialty sequence, electrical engineering electives, and a design course from an approved list. To be considered electrical engineering courses, courses must either be listed in the Stanford Bulletin as EE courses or as EE Related courses (courses considered by the Department of EE to be programmatically equivalent to EE courses).The design course is intended to culminate the substantial design experience distributed throughout the curriculum. Students are required to pass a writing-intensive course (WIM) within their major (those who double-major will have to take two WIM courses).

Students are required to have a program planning sheet approved by their advisor and the department prior to the end of the quarter following the quarter they declare their major and at least one year prior to graduation. Programs may be changed at anytime (except during the final quarter before graduation) by submitting a new approved program sheet. Program sheets for the general EE requirements and for each of the EE specialty sequences may be found aon the Program Sheets page of this site.

To place the requirements in context, sample programs of study are given which satisfy all requirements for the BS degree in EE on the 4-Year Plans page of this site. Students with advanced placement will have greater freedom in course selection than is shown in the program examples. Those considering studying at one of the foreign centers should consult the Bing Overseas Studies Program office as soon as possible, for this will add constraints in program planning. All students are expected to consult their faculty advisor, are encouraged to consult the Electrical Engineering Student Advisor in Packard 110; phone: (650) 725-3799, email: undergradta@ee.stanford.edu, and may find it useful to consult other students when designing their program.For updated information, visit the EE website at: http://ee.stanford.edu/

Research Experience for Undergraduates

The Electrical Engineering Department at Stanford University invites undergraduates majoring in EE to participate in its REU Summer Program from June to August. The program is designed to give undergraduates an opportunity to work with members of the EE Faculty and their research groups on advanced research topics.

Program StructureThe program is designed to give both an in-depth research experience on a particular topic, as well as a broad hands-on exposure to various areas within EE.

Bi-weekly seminars are offered to cover a wide range of topics. The seminar series lecturers are comprised of EE faculty and guests. Discussions will include topics such as graduate education, internships and career opportunities.

PresentationsThe last week of the summer program will be devoted to writing a final report and creating a poster on the research project. The students will present their projects at a poster fair, to which the EE community will be invited.

Funding/HousingEach student receives a summer stipend. Students are required to reside in undergraduate housing with the Summer Research College. A meal plan is also provided.

Application Procedure: For information about our application process, please go to ee.stanford.edu/reu.1. The application has two steps. You can re-submit both steps at any point up to the deadline. The deadline for students to apply is in early February, with exact date to be announced.2. If you have any questions about the application, email gradta@stanford.eduIf you have any questions about the logistics of the REU program, email reumentor@ee.stanford.edu.

REU RequirementsStudents must declare EE as their undergraduate major. With the exception of co-terms, in order to be eligible students may not be seniors when they apply. In the event the number of applicants exceeds the number of spaces available, preference is given to first time participants. If you have any questions regarding this information, please email reumentor@ee.stanford.edu.

Math and Science Requirements:

It is a School of Engineering requirement that all courses counting toward the major must be taken for a letter grade if the instructor offers that option. Students with multiple degrees should be aware that math, science, and fundamentals courses can be used to fulfill breadth requirements for more than one degree program, but a depth course can be counted toward only one major or minor program; any course can be double-counted in a secondary major.

Select one 2-course sequence from MATH 52 & 53 or CME 100 & 102. The MATH courses are more theoretical, while the CME courses are applied and build on programming and use of tools like MATLAB.

Select on additional 100-level Math course: EE 102B (if not used in EE Depth) or EE 141 or CME 104 or MATH 113 or CS 103

Statistics/Probability: Select one (choosing a statistics options depends upon your interest and preferences. The EE option has a theoretical perspective; the CS option is more application-oriented): EE 178 OR CS 109

At least two additional Fundamentals from Approved List; Recommended: ENGR 40 or 40C or 40P; taking CS 106A or a second E40-series course not allowed for the Fundamentals elective.

Writing in the Major (WIM) (One course required)

EE 109 or EE 133 or EE 134 or EE 168 or CS 194W. EE 191W may satisfy WIM only if taken as a follow-up to an REU or independent study project where a faculty agrees to provide supervision of writing a technical paper and with suitable support from the Writing Center.

EE Core

EE 100. The EE Profession

EE 101A. Circuits I

EE 102A. Signal Processing and Linear Systems I

EE 108A. Digital Systems I

EE 41. Physics in Electrical Engineering*

Note: EE 41(same as ENGR 40P) can meet the Physics in EE core requirement only if it is not used to fulfill the Engineering Fundamentals requirement.

This specialty area provides opportunities to study topics ranging from neuro-biology and electronic-bio-interfaces to systems and signal processing for medical imaging. One course must be a design project, either: EE 134 or EE 168. For this sequence taking the EE 101 or EE 102 core first is preferable; for the EE 134 course, more physics background and interest is typically required.

This specialty area provides practical, hands-on experience with electronic circuits as well as fundamental understanding of electronic devices and design techniques for building electronics. For this sequence taking the EE 101 core first is preferable.

This specialty area provides in-depth understanding in exploring the wide range of digital systems; architectures associated application areas that can immensely benefit from both commercial computing platforms and application-specific digital systems. Students obtain unique hands-on experience in the key elements that are essential for successful hardware/software system design: Digital system design principles, computer organization and architecture, and ways in which software systems interface with hardware designs. For this sequence taking the EE 108 core first is preferable; additionally, taking the CS 106 sequence earlier is also advisable.

This specialty area provides students with a broad range of software classes and projects available in Computer Science. For this sequence taking both the CS 106 and EE 101 core classes first is preferable.

The Green-EE area focuses on the confluence of new technologies for clean energy, systems engineering at several levels and innovations in making smarter electronics that leverage software and information theory technologies. All areas from the Core (101, 102 and 108) provide interesting and different entry points to this focus area.

This specialty area bridges the circuits, signals and systems areas based on the specific application of music and many of the courses are EE related courses from the Computer Music (CCRMA) Center. For this sequence taking EE 101 and EE 102 or Music 320 first is preferable.

This specialty area addresses a broad range of new device structures, including concepts leveraged by electromagnetics. The device courses draw heavily from the quantum mechanics field and often use advanced materials to achieve desired electrical and optical properties. There are applications in high-speed communications and computation systems as well as medical imaging. For this sequence taking the EE 101 core first is preferable; for the EE 134 course, more physics background and interest is typically required. Taking Physics 45 and EE 141 is strongly advised; additionally, EE 141 can be included in the specialty sequence, but only if not used to fulfill the Physics in EE core requirement.

This specialty area provides the math and theoretical understanding of signals and signal processing, as well as feedback control. The concepts have a broad range of applications including: imaging, wireless; digital signal processing (DSP) and embedded systems. More math courses such as Math 104 on applied matrix theory may be helpful.

Depth Electives (12 units)

Electives may include up to two additional Engineering Fundamentals, any CS 193 course and any letter-graded EE or EE Related courses (minus any previously noted restrictions). NOTE: Freshman and Sophomore seminars, EE 191 and CS 106A do not count toward the 60 units. For a complete list of EE Related courses, go to the MS degree page in the EE Graduate Handbook at http://ee.stanford.edu/sites/default/files/student_services/ee_graduate_handbook.pdf

STUDY ABROAD PROGRAM

Stanford’s Overseas Studies Program is a great opportunity for students to build their language and cultural skills abroad. Some of the most popular programs with Electrical Engineering students are in China, Japan and Germany. In many cases there are summer job opportunities as well. Each program has different and specific language requirement that may require early and careful planning. For example, the core classes may be offered during quarters that conflict with the study abroad. There are also some joint programs between universities, such as the joint program with École Centrale Paris. For more information, see the “Overseas Studies” section of this handbook.

OBJECTIVES AND OUTCOMES FOR ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING

Objectives:1. Technical Knowledge: Provide a basic knowledge of electrical engineering principles along with the required supporting knowledge of mathematics, science, computing, and engineering fundamentals. The program must include depth in at least one specialty area, currently including Bio-electronics and Bio-imaging; Circuits and Devices; Computer Hardware; Computer Software; Energy and Environment; Music; Photonics, Solid State, and Electromagnetics; and Signal Processing, Communications and Control.2. Laboratory and Design Skills: Develop the basic skills needed to perform and design experimental projects. Develop the ability to formulate problems and projects and to plan a process for solutions taking advantage of diverse technical knowledge and skills.3. Communications Skills: Develop the ability to organize and present information, and to write and speak effective English. 4. Preparation for Further Study: Provide sufficient breadth and depth for successful subsequent graduate study, post-graduate study, or lifelong learning programs. 5. Preparation for the Profession: Provide an appreciation for the broad spectrum of issues arising in professional practice, including teamwork, leadership, safety, ethics, service, economics, and professional organizations.

Outcomes:(a) An ability to apply knowledge of mathematics, science, and engineering(b) An ability to design and conduct experiments, as well as to analyze and interpret data(c) An ability to design a system, component, or process to meet desired needs within realistic constraints such as economic, environmental, social, political, ethical, health and safety, manufacturability, and sustainability(d) An ability to function on multi-disciplinary teams(e) An ability to identify, formulate, and solve engineering problems(f) An understanding of professional and ethical responsibility(g) An ability to communicate effectively(h) The broad education necessary to understand he impact of engineering solutions in a global, economic, environmental, and societal context(i) A recognition of the need for, and an ability to engage in, life-long learning(j) A knowledge of contemporary issues(k) An ability to use the techniques, skills, and modern engineering tools necessary for engineering practice(l) Background for admission to engineering or other professional graduate programs

Declaring EE as a Major

1. Declare a major in EE on Axess. Do not coose the Honors option on Axess unless you have submitted an Honors application to the department along with the thesis proposal. 2. Fill out a copy of the Undergraduate Sign-Up Sheet. The "Area of Specialization" is particularly important to assist in the choice of a faculty advisor. It can always be changed.3. Meet with the Vice Chair in Packard 172. You can check on office hours by sending email to vicechair@eemail.stanford.edu. In the Vice Chair's absence, see the Degree Progress Officer in Packard 177. Make sure to bring your Undergraduate Sign-up Sheet, unofficial transcript, and academic file (if available from your previous advisor) to the meeting. The purpose of the meeting is to go over the basics in getting a BS in EE, and to assign an EE faculty adviser to be your major advisor.4. After the meeting, bring your academic file and Undergraduate Sign-up Sheet with the EE Degree Progress Officer in Packard 177, who will approve your major declaration and enter your advisor's name in Axess. e will also add your email to the EE undergraduate email list, used for announcements about seminars, research opportunities, and other events.